Like all footwear some boots don't fit some feet well. These fit me very well. I have now about 40 miles on these boots winter hiking in the Whites. I also have 5 ice climbing trips in them. I have found that socks are the most important feature to make these boots perform in the cold. I have a single layer expedition sock an have been toasty at a 45 minute belay in Frankenstein at Zero degrees. I find that I dial in the lacing a couple times each trip. You can easily cut-off your toe circulation with the front lace lock if you really crank on them; then you'll be cold not matter what. These hike very well. I leave the top a bit loose to allow more ankle movement. The impact brake you really can feel when your on rock and pounding down a trail. When climbing I lock the ankle down more. They frontpoint with precision. I have climbed WI 4 and had total control. My Black Diamond cyborg crampons fit the boot very well; no shifting at all.Just great boots.

Used on a few winter hikes. Works great with crampons in ice conditions. Haven't used for ice climbing. The lacing system is one of the best I've used. The extra tongue inserts that come in the box are very useful for finding the perfect fit. Very light and durable. I have used these on a limited number of hikes but these are great so far.

I work as a forester in the Northern tip of NH and needed a boot that could stand up to the rigors of my job.

We work in all weather conditions, year-round from pouring rain to blizzard conditions, as well as nasty humid summers days, all with no trails. They have been working very well for me and I am really impressed. I continually have my foot submerged in water, often over the top, and the boots have kept my feet dry and warm. These boots were also the only ones I found that would offer my trashed ankle the support it needs to do my work. I wear them 10 hours a day, everyday, and they are still kicking. The loggers call them my space boots, but they work for me.

The main downfall is that the laces have a tendancy to loosen, so I have to continually relace the boots, which is a pain in 2 feet of snow and with gaitors on.

I will definatly buy another pair, as the waterproofing has started to go on them after about 5 months.

The best pair of boots I have ever purchased, I received these boots a day before our trip to the adirondacks with no break in period these boots were very comfortable, no blisters. Very light boot, worth spending the extra money for a boot of this quality.

THESE ARE NOT SUMMER BOOTS! Now that I have that said. These are great winter boots. Some recommendations don't look at the $. Look at the reviews. These are worth every penny. They need to be broken in before you take then on a long trek. Wear them around the house, to the mall, to work. Break them in without the extra tongue. When they have stretched to fit now add the extra tongue and break them in again. Now you are ready for some climbing. Great shock resistance. You won't have a problem with the top loops when you use a sergeon's knot. Wear a warm pair of socks and sock liners and you are ready for the bitter cold.

Easily one of the best boots for ice/mixed climbing. Somehow this boot molds support with flexibility, and really allows you to pivot on your front points. It won't keep your feet hot, but they won't freeze either. A fantastic product well worth the enormous cost to get a pair. If you can get them on a discount, you won't be disappointed.

The one drawback is if you have cold feet, these may not be great for you in colder temps (15F and below)

I stepped into my first pair of Nepals seven years ago. I have worn them on a walk almost every day until I wore them out from the inside. The soles were still fine, the laces even lasted seven years. I decided to take a step up to new Nepals last month. These new boot were comfortable from day one. My first hike was ten miles. I like the idea behind the new tongue insert. I am pretty confident it will help with ventilation, but more importantly, I know I will end up replacing it several times in the life of these boots to recoup the cushion between the top of my foot and the tongue. The insert takes a little adjusting, but it is pretty easy to get aligned correctly. I walk on a lot of snow and mud and I don't worry about the waterproofness of these boots. I like the narrow angle of the tip of the boot for climbing; form follows function in this design.

After hearing rave reviews from others, I bought a pair of these boots and took them along for a trip to climb Gannett Peak in Wyoming this summer. After just a mile on the trail, my feet were trashed. The skin on the backs of my heels was gone. I changed into my old hiking boots and managed to complete the 2 day approach, but was unable to attempt the summit climb due to the condition of my feet. Pretty disappointing, after hearing such great things about these boots. They may be great for ice climbing, but for hiking or any type of approach, they were terrible for me.

Sizing:

Feels true to size

Bottom LineNo, I would not recommend this to a friend

Merchant response: Of course we’re sorry to hear you couldn’t make a push to the summit because of your boots. We do have a great Satisfaction Guarantee and Return Policy we stand behind. As always...Our first priority is your complete satisfaction with your Eastern Mountain Sports® purchase.Please call us in customer service @ 888.463.6367, check out our website www.ems.com, or visit one of our EMS Retail locations if we can assist you in any way.Out of everything we sell…nothing is more fit specific than footwear. We do have fit guides online under our Expertise category with a live link to Personal Boot Fitter but the best option is meeting with one of our Boot Gurus in an EMS store will help insure a great fit. Couple of questions if you don’t mind…Were you able to break these boots in before hitting the trail and we’re you fitted for the boots when you made your purchase? They are certainly one the toughest pairs of boots on the market…and take some breaking in and getting used to.

I've used these boots for winter hiking/camping and steep technical ice climbing in New Hampshire's White Mountains as well as long approach backpacks and mountaineering in Washington's Cascade range. They keep my feet warm and dry. The stiff soles hold a crampon securely. They are much more comfortable to hike in than any plastic double boot I have worn.

I did replace the factory insoles with a good pair of aftermarket insoles to improve the support and comfort, but I do this with all my boots.

These are great boots that will last me for several years of hard climbing.